I have fantastic news. As of this Tuesday, 11/13/12, the business formerly known as "Diablo Valley Gun Works" owned by Bill & Ken is now "The Gun Works" owned by Mike and Steve.

For those of you that have had poor customer service experiences there (and at other local stores), this is very good news because Mike and Steve actually understand customer service... that really can't be said for most local stores, let's be honest. So feel free to bring PPT's and as much business as possible there, they are looking to make a difference and prove that the only thing the same is the building at 1942 Linda Drive, Pleasant Hill 94523.

I highly recommend taking a second look at Gun Works in Pleasant Hill, happy shopping!

__________________
To be, or not to be: that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep;

I have fantastic news! As of this Tuesday, 11/13/12, the business formerly known as "Diablo Valley Gun Works" owned by Bill & Ken is now "The Gun Works" owned by Mike and Steve.

For those of you that have had poor customer service experiences there (and at other local stores), this is very good news because Mike and Steve actually understand customer service... that really can't be said for most local stores, let's be honest. So feel free to bring PPT's and as much business as possible there, they are looking to make a difference and prove that the only thing the same is the building at 1942 Linda Drive, Pleasant Hill 94523.

I highly recommend taking a second look at Gun Works in Pleasant Hill, happy shopping!

That is good news because that place sucked Donkey Ba**s. I'll give them a shot!

That is good news because that place sucked Donkey Ba**s. I'll give them a shot!

Agreed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darklyte27

alright, are you just a fellow customer too or what?

Yes. I have seen Mike and Steve over the years at the gun shows and the past few months they took me on personally as a customer for PPT's as I was getting attitude from the "other guy" who is now gone. I ended up actually getting some nice deals on some used guns from them as well. They're very transparent and genuinely good guys, it just seems like even shops where I have purchased 5-6 guns (Canyon Sports) treat me like I am wasting their time when I am in there unless my wallet is open, and even then it's surprising what *****s they can be.

Remember, this shop isn't a huge AR-15 shop and has fairly limited "new gun" selection outside of Glocks, S&W's, Springfield XD's, Rock Island's, Rugers, and pre-owned stock... That said they do carry about 200-300 new and used guns in stock at a time.

__________________
To be, or not to be: that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep;

I never had a bad experience there under the old team, got great deal on a used rifle and later orderedthru them via Davidsons. I did hear that their gunsmith was not prompt on keeping ppl up to date, but I never used them for that. But new blood is sometimes a good thing, and they are convenient location fr the East Bay.

it just seems like even shops where I have purchased 5-6 guns (Canyon Sports) treat me like I am wasting there time when I am in there unless my wallet is open, and even then it's surprising what *****s they can be.

Hmmm. starts with a Z....ends with a K........
(for the middle, think acronym for air conditioning)

sorry man, couldnt resist....

__________________

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lone_Gunman

American stormed the beaches of Normandy, not Europeans. Americans invented the airplane, personal computer, telephone, radio, TV, GPS, the DVR, automatic transmission, laser, and f'ing bubble gum. EUROPEANS DIDN"T. So until you asshats start providing the world with more innovation than Americans do how about you STFU about us?

I never had a bad experience there under the old team, got great deal on a used rifle and later orderedthru them via Davidsons. I did hear that their gunsmith was not prompt on keeping ppl up to date, but I never used them for that. But new blood is sometimes a good thing, and they are convenient location fr the East Bay.

^Good, not everyone would agree unfortunately, and yes, it should be a good thing. These guys have been around, you'll recognize them, but the ones that caused the issues are gone.

Quote:

Originally Posted by zvardan

Are the prices any better? Last time I went there, the prices were pretty high.

How much are ppt's?

Asking prices on their new guns are similar to others in the East Bay, not typically going to beat the prices you can find here on Calguns... but build a relationship and work with them and they'll do what they can, particularly on used inventory.

Quote:

Originally Posted by snypr

Hmmm. starts with a Z....ends with a K........
(for the middle, think acronym for air conditioning)

sorry man, couldnt resist....

And his 7 oversized dwarves, yes. Actually there is one guy with glasses there that is nothing but helpful.

__________________
To be, or not to be: that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep;

Good news!
Now make a sign so folks don't keep walking into the computer repair shop next door

Yeah, some folks do have a tough time, finding the shop, lol. There is a city sign ordinance that either prohibits, or makes it hard, to have a temp/freestanding sign, out by the street. Not sure of the actual details, but they can't go that route. There was some scuttlebutt, a while back, about putting some signage on the building (to the left of the front door) and I thought the building owner was on board with that, but not sure what the status is.

Standard (In state) PPT fee, is $35. The out of state transfer fees do get kinda wacko and vary from transaction to transaction, but it's my understanding that can't be helped.

As of tight now, it's my understanding, that all four gunsmiths are still on board. From the looks of things back there, they have all been very busy.

While there are bound to be bumps in the road, as there are with any transition, I really think the outcome will be for the better. Expect to see better record keeping, communication, product stocking, etc, as the proverbial dust slowly clears.

^good to hear Delta, ill swing by this weekend and see what they have......
Bill was always cool to me, but the other seems like Z**Ks relative

__________________

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lone_Gunman

American stormed the beaches of Normandy, not Europeans. Americans invented the airplane, personal computer, telephone, radio, TV, GPS, the DVR, automatic transmission, laser, and f'ing bubble gum. EUROPEANS DIDN"T. So until you asshats start providing the world with more innovation than Americans do how about you STFU about us?

This is the way they're doing it, currently. They may decide to change this a little, but go with this, for now.
Tues thru Fri - 10:00AM to 6:00PM (May be closed for lunch, 1:00PM - 2:00PM)
Saturday - 10:00AM to 4:00PM
Sun & Mon - Closed

200-300 guns? I dont remember that place beigng that big. I need to look again I guess.

It'll try to break that down to clarify on inventory, from what I have seen

-Approx 10-20 new long guns on display
-Approx 30-40 used long guns on display
-Approx 30-50 used long guns in back
-Approx 40-50 new hand guns on display
-Approx 50-60 new hand guns in back
-Approx 40-50 used hand guns on display at a time

Quote:

Originally Posted by delta9

I did a PPT at Gun Works this week. Even though they were pretty busy the friendly people there took care of us right away.

Nice, good to hear... thanks for reporting back.

__________________
To be, or not to be: that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep;

That's a pretty famous spot for anyone that knows pleasant hill. The house behind you was owned by a local party legend and everyone else knows where caspers is.
Good luck with the business and I'll check you out next time im in town.

That's a pretty famous spot for anyone that knows pleasant hill. The house behind you was owned by a local party legend and everyone else knows where caspers is.
Good luck with the business and I'll check you out next time im in town.

Now that is an interesting comment! There used to be a home on the property that this shop on that was used by the Tribune newspaper. Way back in the early 1960's, I used to go there everyday to pick up and roll my newspapers so I could deliver them on my bike. Caspers was across the street was always a good place for lunch.......there used to be a Winchell's next to Caspers. Party in Pleasant Hill - wow maybe you are too young to remember East/West and the summer of love. If you can remember the '60s - you weren't there.

Went in to take a looksie - shop is pretty much the same except for the personnel change. I hope they do well, the more the merrier.

Yep, that's the plan for now. All the Gunsmiths are still on board, as well. Possibly some future changes, but only in regards to additional accessory items and ammo. Mostly, they're still straitening out paperwork snafu after paperwork snafu. So that's consuming the bulk of their time.

Nice to see you're checking-in here.
I suspect everyone involved is busy not just with the daily demands but also seeing that the shop, reputation, and costumer base improve.
That said, don't neglect the volumes of gun-store feedback & expectations that have been logged here on Calguns.

Basically, folks want and sometimes expect informed service and not questionable legal theories. If you can't or won't do something, say so, don't say it's the law. If you want to know the law come here. If you want to make up the law, hope your patrons don't come here- or get yourself elected.

Folks want no BS PPT's -Every poorly conducted PPT can loose you a good customer, many do-
Everyone knows PPT's are a law and an obligation, the fact that you don't like them is not usually the fault of the transferee. The quicker and kinder it is, the happier everyone will be.

Folks want clear and consistent fees. Publish them, stick to them. If you charge $5 less than the next guy, you will get a lot of business. If you don't want that, charge more. Just figure out where you want to be and try to stick to that price.

Lastly, being realistic about the time you take to do work is really important. If you can't get to a gun for 3 months, say so and give the client a chance to make their choice. They might bring it back in 3 months, but if you just keep it, in 3 months they will want it back and never come back to your store again.

You don't have to subscribe to that BS about them always being right if you don't think that about yourself. Customers may act like children, but we want to be treated like adults. Having to deal with &/or getting to know whoever walks through your door is a challenge every day, but politeness and consistency go a real long way in your business.

Dropped in today briefly around 3PM. As mentioned it can be a little tricky to spot, but if you're heading North on Contra Costa Blvd - say from exiting 242 or 680 South at Gregory Lane - take a left at the light just past the Big O, just past the Jack in the Box, at Vivian Drive. You'll see the construction company sign easily from the intersection.

They were busy, but Steve made a point after a minute to excuse himself from the customer he was helping and ask what he could do for me. To summarize, very kind to a newb, and very honest about what they have and don't have - won't hesitate to refer you somewhere else if they can't meet your needs. I'll definitely go back to see them again.

I was in there last week for the first time to have the sights changed on my 1911s and they were totally friendly. A guy came in looking for a rifle that they couldn't help him with. Instead of trying the hard sell like a lot of shops would they recommended a couple other places. I will be back again. It's about time gun stores started using customer service.

I am so sad these guys are closing. Really liked doing biz with Mike and Steve. The good 'ol boys are getting run out of town. Soon only the big city counsel @ss-kissing chains will be left in the East Bay.